We’ve always thought that an orphan was a child who has lost both parents, been abandoned by their parents, or whose parents are unable to care for them. And if you live in an orphanage then you are definitely an orphan…. Right? Wrong… A child is a child under every circumstance, the word “orphan” helps tell their story, but it is not their label. If you’re thinking like us your mind is probably spinning right now. We take the word orphan and wrap a beautiful bow around it, ready to present it to anyone who asks. But really we can’t… We can’t because the more children you meet, and the more children’s homes you visit, the more your definition of an “orphan” will change. As different circumstances change the lives of many children around the world we ask that you educate yourself on what those circumstances are. •A single orphan describes a child (under the age of eighteen) whose mother or father has died. •A paternal orphan describes a child whose father has died. •A maternal orphan describes a child whose mother has died. •A full orphan/double orphan describes a child whose parents have both died •”Social orphans” describes children who have lost one or both parents because of abandonment, or relinquishment due to poverty, alcoholism, or imprisonment.